


What Greater Gift

by punk_rock_yuppie



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Short, Silly, cat!fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-22 23:28:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6097455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>“If cats looked like frogs we’d realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Style. That’s what people remember.”–Terry Pratchett</i><br/>Len gets a cat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Greater Gift

**Author's Note:**

> written for kipsiih who requested _"len adopts a cat"_. This is silly and short but I had a lot of fun writing it! Hope you enjoy!

“Barry, there’s been a Captain Cold sighting downtown!” Cisco’s voice is static in the speedster’s ear an frankly unnecessarily loud, but Barry answers anyway.

“Got it, I’m on my way.” He speeds off as Cisco feeds him the directions to a location downtown. Barry stops once he’s inside the store and has a witty one-liner prepared—one he knows Captain Cold will appreciate—but doesn’t get a chance to use it. The people around him are windswept from his speed and staring in awe at Barry. No one looks troubled or distressed.

“Ah, Flash, looking to pick up a new pet?” Len’s voice is the usual drawl and his smirk is as broad as ever. Barry faces the man, surprised to see Len standing at the register actually _paying_ for something.

“I got a report that Captain Cold—”

Len waves him off. “I’m just _Len_ right now.” He turns his attention back to the cashier to take some paperwork; he signs it all while ignoring the fish out of water expression on Barry’s face. Once the paperwork is filled out, he hands it back to the cashier _._ Len thanks her and his hands move to what Barry realizes is a small carrier, for a small pet. “Always nice to see you, Flash,” Len bows with a flourish then plucks the carrier from the counter. “I’ll be taking my leave now.”

Barry lets him go—he can’t really arrest the man, he _saw_ Leonard pay for the damn cat, and no one is hurt or in trouble. It’s after a few minutes of silence that Barry realizes he’s been gaping at the now closed door and the remaining customers are gaping back at him. The vibrations in his voice don’t cover up the way he falters: “U-uh, stay safe, citizens.”

With that, he speeds away—Cisco’s crazed laughter buzzing in his ear.

))

“What, no Captain Cold tonight?” Barry taunts from the guise of his cowl; Golden Glider and Heatwave roll their eyes and throw smirks at one another. Barry can’t help but be curious. “What, am I missing something?”

“Poor Lenny is stuck at the vet, his new cat is having some tummy problems,” Lisa explains with a babyish tone. Mick’s laughter is loud and wild and quickly accompanied by Lisa’s. “So you’re stuck with just the two of us tonight.”

Barry’s retort, whatever it might have been, dies on his tongue.

))

“Len—Len, c’mon,” Barry shoves at the offending pressure on his back. He sleeps on his stomach and his boyfriend’s weight has passed being kind of silly and moved to downright annoying. Barry grumbles, displeased. “Len, man, come on!” When the weight still doesn’t shift, Barry begins to vibrate in hopes of shaking Len off his back.

Instead, claws dig into his skin and an unhappy _meow_ echoes in the bedroom. Barry stiffens and the cat’s claws dig in deeper. Barry shifts slowly and turns his head to Len’s half of the bed. The man is gone and a small paper crane sits on his pillow. Groaning Barry reaches for it as best he can without disturbing the cat. He unfolds the paper and reads:

_Barry— had to leave early for a heist. Elsa can keep you company; she needs food at three pm and six pm. Not sure when I’ll be home but I’ll see you tonight. Yours, Len_

Barry’s chest fills with warmth—until Elsa begins kneading into his back, again, with more insistence. He takes a moment to remind himself that he can’t kill that cat, because Elsa is no longer just Len’s. As the man put it, Elsa was _theirs_ , now, ever since they agreed to move in together.

 

 

Len comes home that night to find Barry sitting on the couch attempting to watch television—attempting because Elsa is resting on Barry’s chest and her thick white fur is obscuring his vision. “You know,” Len starts, “you could just move her.”

Barry turns his head to Len and speaks softly. “She’s _purring_.” Len doesn’t laugh or argue; it’s taken a long while for Barry and Elsa to warm up to one another, no sense in disturbing the peace now.

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from Charles Dickens, _"what greater gift than the love of a cat."_


End file.
